Jake Weir, an Arizona resident, owns a 2019 RAV4, which he purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle from Toyota. The car had traveled 96,500 km and came with a warranty. In late 2025, the engine suffered severe damage, and Toyota refused to cover the repairs under its warranty policy.
"I accelerated slightly and then heard a loud bang. Looking in my rearview mirror, I saw smoke everywhere", Weir told AZ Family.
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The RAV4's engine disassembled. Photo: AZ Family |
The RAV4's engine disassembled. Photo: AZ Family
Weir took the RAV4 to a local Toyota dealership, which charged him more than 1,000 USD to disassemble and inspect the engine. According to the dealership, they found more than one gallon (more than 3,7 liters) of water inside. They concluded that hydro-lock caused complete engine failure, and on that basis, they denied the warranty claim.
"Water would have had to pour in almost immediately for that to happen", Weir said, adding that he "couldn't understand how it was possible." This occurred in mid-september, when the outside temperature was around 37 degrees Celsius.
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The RAV4 remains in the driveway, with only the battery and some other components left in the engine bay, while the engine sits in the back seat of the car. Screenshot. |
The RAV4 remains in the driveway, with only the battery and some other components left in the engine bay, while the engine sits in the back seat of the car. Screenshot.
Weir's insurance company reached a different conclusion. After inspecting the RAV4, the company reported no signs of water intrusion and described the issue as "actual engine failure." In their view, this should have been covered by Toyota's warranty, so they also denied compensation.
A Toyota representative told On Your Side – a consumer advocacy program – that the company had previously contacted Weir and had no further comment on the report.
As neither the dealership nor the insurance company would cover the costs, Weir stated his next step would be to file a lawsuit and submit a consumer complaint to the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
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